Pumpkin Spice Bread

Makes 1 loaf

1-1/2 cup sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup water
2 eggs
1 2/3 cups flour
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cloves

Combine first five ingredients in a small bowl and beat well. In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients and mix well. Gradually add to pumpkin mixture and beat well.

Use a non-stick 9″x 5″ loaf pan (or a non-teflon pan *very lightly* sprayed with Canola Oil cooking spray). Pour batter into loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 65 to 70 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in the pan before moving to wire rack.

Potato Soup

Ingredients:

6-8 potatoes
1 large onion
1 Tbs. salt
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
8 ounces cream cheese
3 Tbs. margarine

Directions:

Peel and cube potatoes and cut-up onion. Put both in large pot, cover with water and add salt. Heat until water turns milky in color. Add cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup, cream cheese, and margarine. Cook until hot all the way through. Mash with potato masher or leave in big chunks, if desired. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Peanut Butter Brownies

Ingredients:

3 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 cups cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups oil
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup peanut butter
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ginger

Directions:

1) Soften peanut butter in the microwave for 15 to 30 seconds. Make sure it's not too runny. Grease a 9"x13" cake pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2) Mix flour, sugar, cocoa, salt, and baking powder in a bowl. Include the spices in the dry mixture. In a separate bowl, mix water, oil and vanilla extract

3) Combine the wet and dry ingredients, making sure not to overwork the batter.

4) Pour half the batter in the the prepared cake pan, followed by the softened peanut butter (spread around, avoiding edges) and then pour the rest of the batter on top. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes.

Peanut Butter Pie

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 cups whipped topping
• graham cracker crust (9-inch)
  

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese with peanut butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk. Fold in whipped topping until well blended. Pour into graham cracker crust. Chill thoroughly before serving. Drizzle with chocolate syrup, if desired.

A Birthday Cake!

Egg-less Chocolate Cake with Homemade Vanilla Frosting

I made this cake as a treat for the birthday of a good friend of mine. I am so thankful that the Lord has blessed me with such joy as I use my gifts to serve others.


Cake Ingredients

• 4 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 3 cups white sugar
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 cups water
• 3 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
2. In a large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, soda and salt. Add sugar and mix together.
3. Add oil, water and vanilla and mix thoroughly.
4. Pour into a 9x13 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Vanilla Frosting

• 1/3 c. soft butter
• 3 c. confectioners' sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• About 2 tbsp. milk
  

Blend butter and sugar. Stir in vanilla and milk. Beat until frosting is smooth and of spreading consistency.

Mexi-Corn Dip

1 can Mexi Corn
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayo
2 cups mild cheddar cheese, shredded
1 Tbs. Tony Chacheres spice
1 Tbs. chopped jalapenos

Serve with tortilla chips!

Mini Cheesecake

Ingredients:

Cheesecake:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 8 ounces Cool Whip
  

Crust:

• 18 graham cracker squares
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup butter, melted

Directions:

1. CRUST: Crush graham crackers into crumbs. Add sugar and butter until evenly mixed. Pour into lined muffin tins. bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 4 minutes.
2. CHEESECAKE: Beat cream cheese and sugar together until smooth. Add sour cream and vanilla and beat until mixed well. Add Cool Whip and beat on low until well blended. Do no over beat. Pour into cooled crusts and refrigerate until well chilled. Top with fresh blueberries, strawberries, or whatever fruit you like.
   

Blueberry Muffins with Crumb Topping

Ingredients - Muffin Base:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 cup fresh blueberries

Ingredients - Crumb Topping:

• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup butter, melted (half a stick)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.
2. Combine flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Combine oil, egg and milk in a separate bowl. Mix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups 3/4 of the way full, and then sprinkle with the crumb topping mixture.
3. To Make Crumb Toppping: Mix together sugar, flour, butter, and cinnamon. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes in the preheated oven or until done.
   

Peanut Butter Silk Cake

This is decadence!

Ingredients:
1 box butter recipe yellow cake mix
1 1/4 cups water
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
3 eggs
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 container chocolate frosting (I recommend the Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy kind)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. In a large bowl, beat dry cake mix, water, 1/2 cup peanut butter, 1/2 cup butter and the eggs on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pan.
2. Bake 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool about 10 minutes then remove from pan and cool about an hour.
3. In 2-quart saucepan, melt 1/4 cup butter orver medium heat; stir in brown sugar. Heat to boiling; boil and stir 30 seconds. Remove from heat. Refrigerate uncovered for 10 minutes.
4. In chilled medium bowl, beat whipping cream on high speed until soft peaks form; set aside. In another medium bowl, beat 1/2 cup peanut butter and the brown sugar mixture on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add whipped cream to peanut butter mixture; beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Once the cake is cooled, cut in half length-wise (horizontally). Spread the peanut butter/whipped cream mixture on to one half of the cake then put back together. Frost the side and top of the cake with the chocolate frosting. Store covered in refrigerator.

Recipe from the back of a Betty Crocker SuperMoist butter recipe yellow box cake mix.

Cooking in Nicaragua

From June 26th - July 10th, I had the unique privilege of going to Nicaragua to share the gospel with the people there. We spent a lot of time hiking in the mountains and the villages of Ocotal and Wiwili handing out Bible study booklets that went along with a local radio program that would help them learn about the saving message of Jesus Christ as well as teach them how to study the Bible. However, I don't think that even a mission's trip would be complete without me getting to cook something. I was able to make pancakes for my team one morning for breakfast (one was intentionally made to look like Mickey Mouse), as well as cook french toast and ham another morning. I made guacamole from a handpicked avocado from a tree outside our residence, but unfortunately that was unable to be photographed. Mostly it was cooking over a gas stove/burner, and here are two pictures from what I was able to make.